Administration of software (e.g., computer programs, music, videos, images, documents, etc.) licenses is a difficult task because different companies provide different software licensing rights. For example, some companies provide software licensing rights that may allow a person to install a single piece of software only on one device. Such companies typically use term licenses or perpetual licenses that lock an end user into a release. Other companies may provide licensing rights to a hierarchy of software products, and may allow installation of the software products on one device for use by many people or on multiple devices for use by one person. Such companies typically use perpetual licenses that permit an end user to have multiple releases of the software products to manage.
It can be difficult for an administrator to manage software installed on multiple machines or that has varying usage rights or has varying product lists. For example, a group license may make the license portable, but it may require the administrator to track the license using a spreadsheet or database. Tracking a license may involve knowing who is using the license, understanding where the license is installed, and knowing what software products are covered by the license. The administrator must also attempt to comply with the license agreement which may only allow software covered by the license to change up to a number of times a year.
Proper tracking of an activation of software may help address high rates of software piracy. However, the difficulty in administration and management of software licenses only encourages such software piracy.